Getty Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon.
The Kansas City Chiefs made a lot of things look easy during their Week 18 road game against the Las Vegas Raiders. To the point where it looked like they were trolling the Raiders in the first half.
Late in the first half of the regular season finale, the Chiefs offense huddled up deep in Las Vegas territory and did something that might have never been done on an NFL field before: they began to spin around.
I will forever declare this as ring around the rosie. #Chiefs
The offense then broke the huddle while still spinning, and lined up in a wildcat formation with running back Jerick McKinnon taking the snap, tight end Travis Kelce to his left, receiver Kadarius Toney to his right, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the tailback. McKinnon took the snap and handed it off to Toney, who took off to the left, broke a tackle, and stumbled his way into the end zone for the touchdown.
The play was called back due to a holding call on center Creed Humphrey, who looked like he pancaked the defender more than anything else. Nevertheless, Kansas City scored on the following play by way of a Toney end around.
After the game, Mahomes told ESPN that the unusual play was called “Snow Globe” in their playbook.
WR Kadarius Toney gets the ball on the end around & makes his way into the end zone. PAT is good.
Although wildcat formations are fairly popular in the NFL, doing it while performing in-huddle antics as well is unusual to see. That’s why Twitter users had lots to say about the play during Kansas City’s 12-play, 98-yard drive.
Twitter Reacts to Chiefs TD Play
“Andy Reid flexing on ‘em,” Tanya Ray Fox of FS1 wrote in response to Toney’s touchdown-scoring play in Week 18.
“When [New York Giants general manager Dave] Gettleman drafted Kadarius Toney and said he was gonna use him creatively, this is what he was talking about,” another Twitter user wrote.
“This is the most disrespectful thing I’ve seen on a football field this season and Kayvon Thibodeaux did snow angels next to an injured nick foles then curry’d on the sideline after lmao,” another user wrote.
“The fact this was called for a hold blows. Should’ve just let it count on the fact that the Raiders got absolutely disrespected,” Danny Burke of VSiN wrote. “Just about sums up their season.”
“Holding or not (and I think not), the NFL should have let this play stand due to sheer creativity alone,” another user wrote.
“@creed_humphrey tossed a soul into the pits of hell and gets called for holding. Get out with that penalty,” another user wrote.
Chiefs Beats Raiders Handily in Week 18
With the No. 1 seed at stake, the Chiefs beat the Raiders 31-13 in Week 18.
The Chiefs led 24-3 at halftime and didn’t look back. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 18-of-26 pass attempts for 202 yards and 1 touchdown. Mahomes ends his MVP campaign this season with 5,250 passing yards and completed 67% of his passes for 41 touchdowns along with 12 interceptions, per ESPN.
Mahomes’ lone touchdown pass against Las Vegas was to running back Jerick McKinnon by way of a shovel pass in the first quarter. Week 18 marked the sixth straight game in which McKinnon caught at least 1 touchdown pass. He finished the season with 9 total.
QB Patrick Mahomes scrambles to his left, draws the defenders, and throws a shovel pass to RB Jerick McKinnon for the TD. PAT is good.
The other touchdown scorers for the Chiefs were rookie Isiah Pacheco (8 rushes, 64 yards, 1 TD), Ronald Jones (8 rushes, 33 yards, 1 TD), and Toney (3 carries, 26 yards, 1 TD, 2 catches, 18 yards).
Kansas City’s defense got the best of quarterback Jarrett Stidham and the Raiders offense. The Chiefs pass rush got to Stidham for 6 total sacks, he also threw 1 interception, and the defense as a unit only allowed 4.3 yards per pass, per ESPN.
Now that the Chiefs are locked in as the No. 1 seed in the AFC they will have a bye week during the Wild Card round of the playoffs.